A Thousand Splendid Suns | Khaled Hosseini

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A thousand splendid suns that have broke my heart into a thousand splendid pieces... 

I didn't even mean to read this and all of a sudden I'm more than half way through the novel, teary eyed clutching my aching heart trying to comprehend my thoughts for one of my typical witty reviews. I read this on my kindle because for some reason I had a spur of the moment decision that I wanted to read this and I didn't have the book so I revived my kindle*. That is also why I don't have nice beautiful pics of this book. I finished this in less than a day, you know that feeling a book leaves you when you finish it and it was so good? Hollow, emotional, happy, upset, mixed emotions? That's how I feel.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a historical fiction, stand-alone novel. It is not historical fiction, historical fiction like The Book Thief but it has an historical aspect to it. The book, which spans a period of over 40 years, from the 1960s to 2003, focuses on the tumultuous lives and relationship of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women. Mariam, an illegitimate child, suffers from the stigma surrounding her birth and the abuse she faces throughout her marriage. Laila, born a generation later, is comparatively privileged during her youth until their lives intersect and she is also forced to accept a marriage proposal from Rasheed, Mariam's husband. This is the goodreads synopsis. 

I got maybe 10 pages in and I knew I was going to give this a 5/5 rating already. Khaled Hosseini is honestly such a blessing to human kind. The first time I even heard of him was when my Dad let us watch The Kite Runner, the movie adaptation of the book. I was young, very young then so I didn't pick up on any of the plot or climaxes then. Later, I would encounter Hosseini again but this time it would be that exact book and I would be analysing it in my english class.

The novel follows Mariam and Laila. I don't want to give much away because I really want everyone I know to read it. It was so good. I still catch myself thinking about it constantly. They were crafted so well, we get enough backstory of these characters and we see them emotional, happy, grieving and growing. We learn everything we can about these characters and we grow achingly attached to them. I knew what I was getting into with a Hosseini book, as I had previously read The Kite Runner but nothing prepared me for this absolutely brilliant book!

Hosseini includes symbolism in his writing. If you weren't specifically analysing it or are prone to it already because of school, you would not pick up on any of it. There is great symbolism in this book of people/objects. Additionally, Hosseini's fantastic use of foreshadowing scenes in this book. I really adored this book guys! I don't want to give anything away but if I want anything to truly resonate with you, it's that you need to read this and that I predicted nothing. I was blind-sighted by everything, Hosseini writes as though you cannot predict, I love that! 

There was a stage in this book where I thought all hope was lost of these characters. Where I felt so useless as a reader; all I wanted to do was console and help them somehow. Hosseini did that, he created this experience for the reader and that is why he is such a fantastic writer! I am in awe of his writing, its unbelievable! The characterisation of Maraim and Laila was phenomenal. I was rooting for these characters, they were so real to me and I empathised with them every step of the way. What they had to endure was so raw and restless there were parts of the novel I was crying hysterically and time when I did not want to read on for what would happen next. What these women endured is what MANY women are still enduring because of war, famine, religion and tradition. Everything is so real and Hosseini allowed for these themes to come to light. This is so hard for me to think and write because it's so raw I don't know how to explain it. This book left me just so warm, wholesome and questioning, I have not read such a good book in a long, LONG time. When was the last time I gave a book 5/5 stars on this blog? I don't give them out to just any book. 

There is a historical aspect of this book as well, something I wanted to comment on in this review. Hosseini brought us into the lives of these characters in Afghanistan as war and peace collide. Their conflict becomes our conflict. We learn about the communist presence and then about the Taliban. There are many more elements politically that we learn in this novel and it really aided the readers depiction of situations and atmospheres. If you are extremely unfamiliar with these events then this book really does give you a greater scope into the issues and experiences individuals endured. 

The romance aspect of this book was interwoven so well I am truly just at a loss for words. Everything was just so well crafted, I am going to just slow clap it out for Hosseini. He is now becoming one of my favourite authors...ever. You bet your ass I am going to be reading: 'And the Mountains Echoed', maybe not just yet but soon. I still need to recuperate after this book. 

Hosseini's writing is up there with Murakami, for me at least. They are both in no means the same ~type~ of writer, or have the same style. However, their writing leaves me feeling the same type of way. Murakami is a bit more poetic and flowery (I have a review of Norwegian Wood by Murakami here) but Hosseini is just....amazing. If you have never read a book by him, YOU SHOULD, you could even start with this one!

*If you are wondering where I got my edition of the kindle or where I got the green case/cover. I got it all of Amazon years ago but I'm sure it's still on there.

p.s

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